I'm a complete rookie. I've been hired to write sales letters for a very successful direct mail company. In a market I know almost nothing about.

And I have to be successful, or I'll feel like a damn failure.

Are You A Copywriting uber-guru?

What's your one piece of 'sage advice' for me? My back's to the wall. A gun's to my head. What can I do to make sure I get out of this alive and kicking?

Damn, this is exciting.

I've read Schwab, Caples, Kennedy. I have Hahn, Ogilvy, and Sugarman on the way. I'm reading Carlton.

What's the one thing I should focus on?

How can I guarantee a profitable ad?

Bop

"How can I guarantee my copy will sell?"

"How can I guarantee a profitable ad?"

The simple answer is "You can't."

No one can. Not Carlton, Kennedy, Makepeace....Not Bencivenga himself.

And that should make you feel better. They've all failed. And they can't predict winners.

What they do have though is a process they follow to make sure they increase their probability of success. What makes them great is they are the best in the world at increasing these probabilities.

And in one form or another that process starts with research. Lot's of it. These guys do their homework. You should to.

What appeal used in the headline or lead will touch on your prospects greatest fear or hope?

What benefits - features will appeal most to the reader?

What natural objections will they have as they read?

What proof do they seek?

Etc. Etc.

If you can't answer those questions - don't start writing yet.

And of course, avoid predestined failures.

If you're being asked to write to a cold market/list with a new product for a new company you are being walked off a plank. Don't do it.

Here's clip from my blog written by one of the gretest writers, Ed McLean, on when you are ready to start writing copy...

“You know your reader so well you can almost see her. You know your product so throughly you could get up right now and deliver a half hour talk on it, without notes. You know how your product features can benefit your reader — and you haven’t rejected any one reader benefit because it doesn’t seem as important to you as the others. You know what you want your reader to do immediately — and what you hope she will do eventually. You know the cost of your offer and are sure it will attract serious prospects.

“Now you are ready to write!”

Sell something that everyone wants where you have no competition.

That's the closest thing to being able to guarantee your results.

Other than that is't a crapshoot.

The success % of even the best in this business is far lower than what anyone is willing to admit-- at least copywriters in general. Many think the world revolves around copy. It doesn't. It's all about the market, your position within that market and your competitor's position.

Lets see...you said you're a Rookie, in an industry you know nothing about, and you've been hired by a very successful direct mail company...

I'd say write a letter as good as the one you used to sell this company on your services and you should be all set.

Seriously though, even the best copywriters don't hit the ball out of the park every time at bat, so unless you can sell something like Mike suggested - I don't think theres anything that could guarantee you success.

Stop reading and start writing